GOOD-Agroecology for weeds: a Horizon Europe-funded project to promote agroecological transition by diverse strategies, including beneficial plant symbionts

Weeds negatively affect the sustainability of European (EU) farming systems with weed management relying to a large extent on herbicides. The reduction of herbicide use and risk has become major policy targets of EU Farm to Fork strategy, aiming to promote agroecology and the transition to sustainable and resilient farming systems. GOOD is a 4-year project adopting multidisciplinary approach, aspired to create and evaluate Agroecological Weed Management (AWM) systems, and demonstrate that AWM adoption enhances sustainability and resilience of cropping systems. The main ambition is to foster the agroecological transition for weed management across Europe and beyond. This objective will be achieved through the development, evaluation and demonstration of innovative AWM combinations using cover crops, beneficial microorganisms, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and digital tools for agroecological weed manipulation and management in Living-Labs, co-created with stakeholders in 6 EU pedoclimatic conditions in both annual and perennial crops and in conventional, organic and mixed farming systems. Native AMF from 7 EU countries will be isolated and reproduced in the Soil Microbiology Labs of the University of Pisa, and utilized for cover crops seed inoculation, to enhance their ability to compete with weeds. A digital AWM Toolbox will be developed to assist farmers' decision making to increase their income and crop productivity. The development and combination of innovative and socioeconomically validated sustainable agroecological practices will generate social, economic and environmental benefits through the reduction or elimination of chemical inputs and optimized use of natural resources linked to the post EU and United Nation 2030 targets. GOOD will create an AWM Network, inspired by the principles of Planetary Health, inviting agroecology practitioners from all continents to an in-depth dialogue and exchange of knowledge and best practices towards agroecology-based diversified agricultural systems to shape the future of humanity and Earth's natural systems.